Bears to miss Smith, catch Muhammad
The Bears are opening the season with a pair of playoff reprises. Last week featured a rematch of Super Bowl XLI against Indianapolis, while this Sunday's game marks the first time the Bears and Carolina have squared off since the divisional playoff game at Soldier Field on Jan. 15, 2006.
The Panthers' 29-21 victory that day will be remembered for Steve Smith piling up 218 receiving yards, the fourth-highest total in NFL playoff history.
Smith will not be in uniform this week. He'll be serving the second of a two-game suspension for punching teammate Ken Lucas in the face during a training camp altercation.
Lucas, a starting cornerback, needed surgery to reconstruct his nose, but has repeatedly insisted he has forgiven Smith and harbors no ill will. Carolina did manage to beat San Diego 26-24 last week without Smith, scoring the winning touchdown on the final play of the game.
"In this league, it's all about how you adjust, whether it's due to injury, suspension or whatever," Carolina coach John Fox said during a conference call with Chicago reporters. "It's the ultimate team game and when somebody's out, somebody has to step up."
Smith's absence leaves a familiar face as the Panthers' top threat at wide receiver - Muhsin Muhammad, who spent the past three years with the Bears before returning to his former home. Muhammad had 6 catches for 56 yards against the Chargers.
Muhammad, 35, signed with the Panthers nine days after being released by the Bears in February. He originally played in Carolina from 1996-2004 and quarterback Jake Delhomme couldn't say enough good things about Muhammad's return.
"It's such a blessing for us to have him back," Delhomme said. "We tried to replace him and we never even came remotely close to replacing him and what he does in this system."
Delhomme suggested Muhammad's greatest contribution is using his work ethic as an example for younger teammates.
"To see him, the way he works in practice in training camp, it was fantastic for our young guys to watch," Delhomme said. "The first route he runs at practice is exactly the same speed as the last route he runs at practice and it's done right. If there's a question he's not sure of, it's going to be asked. He just does it all right."
Muhammad created a minor stir last month by complaining to Sports Illustrated that Chicago is "where receivers go to die."
The numbers back him up. Muhammad averaged 54.6 catches during his three seasons with the Bears and their shaky quarterbacks. He had three seasons of at least 93 receptions during his original stint with the Panthers.
Muhammad is one of four ex-Bears on the Carolina roster. Safety Chris Harris, traded to the Panthers for a fifth-round draft pick in 2007, was his team's leading tackler with 10 stops at San Diego. He was also credited with a forced fumble that teammate Chris Gamble returned for a touchdown. The other former Bears are defensive tackle Darwin Walker and cornerback Dante Wesley.
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